Boarded Buildings

Buildings may be boarded for 60 days without penalty.

City ordinance allows any building to be boarded for 60 days without penalty. After 60 days, if the owner has not removed the boards or a building permit been issued to rehab the building, the building may be placed on the
Vacant Building Registration list.

A building on the Vacant Building Registration list, if it is condemned, may require a
code compliance inspection before any rehab work can begin. In addition, buildings on the Vacant Building Registration list may be subject to teardown by Inspections as a nuisance condition.

You may call to report a building or check the status of a building.

If you see a boarded building that is open to trespass call 311. If you would like to find out the status of a particular building, call (612) 673- 2233.

You may get a list of buildings now on the Vacant Building Registration List.

The Vacant Building Registration list is available online.
Vacant Building Registration List. You may also find out if your building is on the VBR list by visiting the City’s Property Information website.

For more information, call Housing Inspections at (612) 673-2233.

Why are buildings boarded?

Buildings are boarded to keep them secure. The most common reasons for boarding up a building are:

Vacant & Open to Trespass
A vacant building that is not secure is a danger to the neighborhood because it invites squatters, can be a fire hazard, and is a danger to children. Boards help prevent these hazards.

Owner choice
Owner is not choosing to occupy the building at the moment, and chooses to use boards to keep it secure.

Police
Police board-ups are generally done when there has been a raid on a property and the building is now vacant, or if the police have observed unsafe activities in a vacant building. This keeps the building secure.

For financial assistance for fixing up your building, check with your neighborhood association, or try the
CityLiving Program.